If you want to travel between the cities of Morocco, there are many different options. Some cities can be reached by train, others only by local bus or shared taxi. If you want comfort and are willing to pay a little bit more than the locals, then going by bus might be your best course of action.

Are you planning to travel to Morocco as a stop on your trip around the world? Then you might want to have a look at my other Morocco posts. You can find them on the Morocco Travel Blog.

Morocco, Bus, CTM - All You Need to Know

Buses in Morocco

Of course, there are local buses, old, without airconditioning, breaking down often and sometimes even dirty. They are the cheapest buses in Morocco, but not the ones I recommend you take.

When I arrived in Morocco, it was my first country on the continent, and I wasn’t used to such a level of discomfort. After traveling all the way from Cape Town to Nairobi, taking everything from old buses that would break down for hours to overcrowded minibusses I now wouldn’t even blink about the old coaches in Morocco. But still, if there are better options, I will take them.

There are two Morocco bus companies you should travel with if you want reliable service and comfort: Supratours and CTM. They are a great way to explore Morocco by bus and are recommended in forums and facebook groups, and everyone who uses them has good experiences.

Supratours Bus Morocco

I personally did not take any Supratours buses, just because I found CTM first and after my first bus ride with CTM, I just stuck with them.

But from other travelers, I hear only good things about Supratours. If you want to find out more about Supratours have a look at their website (they do have an English one) which also has the bus routes and other information. Or you can head over to the Supratours bus station in Marrakech or anywhere else to find out more and buy your tickets.

CTM Bus Morocco

If you asked me what is the best bus company in Morocco? CTM is what I would answer. That is not only my opinion, after riding it about five times across the country, but also the view of many locals you can afford to pay the premium to ride their buses.

My Morocco bus travel route led me from Fes, where I first landed, to Chefchaouen, onward to Tanger, then to Rabat. From there I took a bus to Marrakech and my last bus journey was from Marrakech to Casablanca, from where I flew onward to Egypt. Let me tell you about each station and the routes between. This might help you in deciding your route and reassure you about the processes at CTM and what to expect.

To make it easier to find each respective CTM bus station, I created this map with each station marked.

Bus Ride Essentials

I recommend you bring a big bottle of water (how about the Super Sparrow Stainless Steel Water Bottle, check the latest price on amazon), some snacks, a travel pillow to get some sleep (I love my Trtl Travel Pillow, check it out on amazon), and a jacket because the aircondition can be very cold.

CTM Fes Bus Station

The CTM bus station in Fes is located in the new part of the city, not the Medina. From the Medina, you have to take a taxi to get there. It will take about 20 minutes, and they might ask for 20 dirhams per person. If you find a taxi with a meter in Fes, you are fortunate, even though taxi drivers are compelled by law to turn their meters on.

You are advised to arrive at your station at least 30 minutes before your bus departure. In Fes, the CTM bus station is very modern, and they will not give you a printed ticket if you have the ticket on your phone. Thirty minutes before departure it is possible to check in your big luggage. You will have to pay about 5 to 10 dirhams (I paid a different amount each time I rode and feel like they are very random about this).

I remember at the CTM station in Fes there was a toilet but you had to pay for it and there was no toilet paper. Worst combination ever.

The CTM bus Fes to Chefchaouen took about 4 hours, but the ride was quite comfortable, and the views out of the bus window were amazing. The bus ticket costs about 75 dirhams (I suggest you check the time and prices for yourself using the CTM App; if you want to know how to do that find the information in the Buying a CTM Ticket Yourself section of this post). Multiple buses are leaving for Chefchaouen every day, but I recommend to take one early in the morning, so you still have a lot of time to explore Chefchaouen on your first day.

Things to Do in Fes and Where to Stay

I had an amazing time in Fes. It was my first city in Morocco and everything was so colorful, fragrant and feeling so different from other countries I had been to.

There are many things to do in Fes, and you will probably find them all by exploring the Medina. The tanneries are one of the highlights, shopping for leather or carpets definitely another.

I also recommend you try to leave the city to get an unforgettable view of Fes.

Check out one of the amazing tours of Fes below. You might just find one you are interested in.

CTM Chefchaouen Bus Station

Chefchaouen is a small city, and it doesn’t have a separate CTM bus station. All buses arrive and leave from the central bus station, a little bit outside the beautiful Chefchaouen Medina. To get from the station to the Medina, it is best to take a taxi because the way is quite steep. I was lazy and also took a taxi back down.

As you enter the central bus station the building on the left side has a CTM office, where you can buy your tickets and check in your luggage. After you checked in your luggage, it gets a tag, but you will keep it with you and are responsible for placing it and yourself on the correct bus.

The CTM bus from Chefchaouen to Tanger cost 45 dirhams and took a bit over 2 hours (depending on which route the coaches take it can take more than 3 hours to arrive, so check the time carefully when you book).

Things to Do in Chefchaouen and Where to Stay

There really is just one thing to do in Chefchaouen, and that is walking around and finding all the amazing blue places across the little town. Every corner is prettier than the one you saw before and it truly is a paradise for photographers. Even if you are bad at taking pictures, in Chefchaouen you will be able to take amazing pictures.

I can highly recommend my Riad in Chefchaouen, right in the Medina but not far from the entrance. Inside everything is blue (of course) and the staff is super super friendly and helpful. Check out Hotel Abi Khancha on booking.com and book before it is too late!

CTM Tanger Bus Station

I do remember that the CTM bus station in Tanger (or Tangier) was in the new part of town. But other than that I don’t remember much. I only spent one night in Tanger and took the next bus to Rabat right in the morning on the next day. I think this was terrible planning on my part and I encourage you to explore a little bit of Tanger before moving on. I had a bed in a very nice dormitory room at Tangiers Hostel. Check it out on booking.com.

The bus from Tanger to Rabat costs 75 dirhams and takes between 3.5 and 4.5 hours.

CTM Rabat Bus Station

Rabat is the capital of Morocco and a real hub. But the old parts of the city are beautiful and worth a visit.

From the CTM bus station in Rabat, I took the CTM bus to Marrakech. It will pass Casablanca on its way down the coast.

The bus from Rabat to Marrakech costs between 135 and 190 dirhams. Definitely, the most expensive route I took. The price difference is due to the different comfort level of the buses making this route. There are CONFORT, PREMIUM and CONFORT PLUS buses. I think you can look up the exact differences between the buses online (but only in Arabic or French).

It takes between 3 hours and 45 minutes and 6 hours to get to Marrakech.

Things to Do in Rabat

Rabat has lots to offer. Check out the Kasbah on the hill, from which you will have a beautiful view of the ocean. At the cafe south of the Kasbah you can drink some delicious mint tea and eat Moroccan pastries. Yum!

CTM Marrakech Bus Station

The CTM Bus Station in Marrakech is right next to the imposing train station. Very convenient if you want to transfer from one to the other. I did walk the way from there to the Medina, but while exploring the city, not carrying around my heavy luggage. If you are staying in the Medina, I suggest you find a taxi that will take you there.

After exploring Marrakech for some days and even making a trip to the Merzouga desert it was time to say goodbye to Morocco. My last bus ride was from Marrakech to Casablanca. The bus from Marrakech to Casablanca runs multiple times a day and costs between 90 and 130 dirhams. The fastest bus takes 3 hours.

Things to Do in Marrakech and Where to Stay

The highlight of every Marrakech visit is the big food market, where I had a very delicious traditional Moroccan soup called Harira for just 30 cents!!!

I stayed at Kasbah Red Castel Hostel. The cheapest accommodation of all I stayed at in Morocco, and also the most clean one. If you are okay with sleeping in a dormitory I highly recommend this hostel. Check it out on booking.com!

CTM Casablanca Bus Station

The CTM bus station in Casablanca is located within walking distance of Casa Port train station, which is the first stop of the train headed to the airport. If you are heading to Casablanca to take a bus or train, I recommend you stay at Hotel Central for a good nights sleep and a great view on the rooftop terrace (book your hotel through booking.com now).

If you are thinking about going the other direction from Casablanca to Marrakech, the time and cost are the same in both directions.

Things to Do in Casablanca

In the picture above you can see the one thing it is worth seeing in Casablanca: Hassan II Mosque. At least that’s what I have been told by many tourists and locals alike. Casablanca is a big city, but unfortunately for that reason it just can’t compare to the beautiful and old (aka rich in history) cities like Fes or Marrakech.

Buy CTM Tickets Yourself

There is one slight problem if you want to take a CTM bus, if possible you should book your ticket at least 2 or 3 days in advance because even though on most routes there are multiple daily departures they are often booked to capacity. If you are already in the city, you want to ride from, great, just head over to the CTM bus station and purchase your ticket there.

But if you aren’t you have a problem. Now you might ask, can’t I buy a ticket online? You can; some agencies will support you in purchasing your ticket. But they take ridiculously high commissions, and I advise you not to do it.

Unfortunately, the CTM website, as well as the CTM App, are only in Arabic or French. And if you don’t speak either of these languages, you might simply give up buying a ticket in advance and just hope for the best on your chosen travel day.

What if I told you, you don’t have to be able to speak Arabic or French to buy a ticket online? I don’t speak French either, but I managed to book all my tickets through the App in advance. The first time I guessed a lot, but English, German and French have a lot in common, and so I figured it out. To make it easier for you, I put together step by step instructions on how to buy CTM tickets yourself using the CTM App.

Step 1: Download the CTM App

Here are the links to the App Store and the Play Store. Download the CTM App to your phone to get started.

Step 2: Open the CTM App

This is the easiest step 😉

Step 3: Choose your language

You only have options between French and Arabic. I chose French, even though I don’t know any French, but it is still easier to look up than Arabic words.

Step 4: Input your personal information

You can either use Facebook to login or input your name and other information in manually. You only need to do this once and the app will remember you.

Step 5: Choose to buy a CTM ticket

Now you want to click the big red button on the left-hand side saying ‘Acheter un billet’ which means ‘buy a ticket’.

Step 6: Choose your journey

On the next screen input the following information to book your CTM ticket.

If you plan on traveling within Morocco, choose ‘Voyage national’.

If you want to go one way only choose ‘Aller simple’ or return then ‘Aller + Retour’.

You are looking for a bus, so you want to choose ‘Tous les bus’ which means ‘all buses’, I don’t know what will come up if you choose ‘Autres catégories’ which means ‘other categories’.

Choose your DÉPART (departure destination) and ARRIVÉE (arrival destination). In my case, I want to go from Fes to Chefchauen, a very popular destination.

Enter the DATE ALLER (the date you want to go) and DATE RETOUR (date to go back) if you want to return.

At ‘Nombre de places’ you enter the ‘number of places’ meaning the number of passengers you want to reserve for.

And lastly, choose ‘Carte Internationale’ meaning you don’t have a Moroccan credit card.

Now you can click the big red RECHERCHER button.

Step 7: Choose a bus from the list

On this screen all possible departuring buses are listed. From earliest to latest.

Note how they have different durations as indicated below the arrow and prices as you can see above the arrow.

If instead of a price the word COMPLET is displayed it means the bus is already fully booked.

Step 8: Confirm the conditions of service

Since you already input your personal information in step 4, all the fields on the next screen should be filled in already.

You have to click the green dot to accept the conditions of service. This will take you to a new site.

Step 9: Accept the conditions displayed

Click the red button saying ACCEPTER.

Step 10: Continue with your booking

When you are back on the previous screen press the red button saying SUIVANT.

Step 11: Choose your seat or seats

The seats marked in red are already reserved, the green ones are free for you to choose.

Click on the seat or seats you want; they will turn orange meaning you have selected them.

Step 12: Check details and proceed to pay

Step 13: Input your payment details

You have to pay for your ticket right away using a credit card (only Visa, Maestro, Master Card or cmi are accepted).

At ‘Nom de votre banque’ choose the very last option called ‘AUTRES’ meaning others.

For ‘Méthode de paiement’ choose between ‘Visa’, ‘Maestro’, ‘Master Card’ or ‘cmi’.

For ‘Numéro de la carte’ enter your credit card number.

‘Date de validité’ is your month and year the card will expire.

For ‘Code de vérification’ is your code on the back of your credit card.

Check the box to accept the terms of service

Click ‘Payer’ meaning ‘pay’

Step 14: You are done

After you are done, you will get an email with your boarding passes. You can also save them directly in the app to your photos.

Below you can see the confirmation that is displayed after payment was successful. If it wasn’t the message looks different.

In Conclusion

That is all you need to know about buses in Morocco and the CTM bus company in particular. I hope you have a pleasant trip around Morocco. It is such a colorful and fascinating country with so many beautiful things to discover.

For more travel tips about local transportation, buying sim cards or guides on manners check out my Local Travel Tips Blog.

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Authors Note: None of the experiences in this post are in any way sponsored and have all been paid for by myself. The opinions stated are all my own and have not been influenced in any way.This post might contain affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by buying products through my links!

Lena is the creator of the Social Travel Experiment. She has been traveling around the world for a couple of months now. Planning took a long time and a lot of effort. To make it easier for future world travelers she has made it her mission to teach others how to have an unforgettable trip around the world, through short stays with locals, without wasting valuable time or money.

About Lena

Hi, I'm Lena the founder of The Social Travel Experiment. My mission is to help bussy millennials plan an unforgettable trip around the world, through stays with locals, without wasting valuable time and money.

If you are a business we might be able to work together so check out the Work With Me page for more details

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Affiliate Disclosure

Posts on The Social Travel Experiment contain affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by buying products through my links!

About Lena

Hi, I'm Lena the founder of The Social Travel Experiment. My mission is to help bussy millennials plan an unforgettable trip around the world, through stays with locals, without wasting valuable time and money.

If you are a business we might be able to work together so check out the Work With Me page for more details

Amazon Disclosure

The Social Travel Experiment is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Affiliate Disclosure

Posts on The Social Travel Experiment contain affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by buying products through my links!